Apparatus for doubling cloth, &amp;c.



PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

, J. PIsH. APPARATUS FOR DOUBLING CLOTH, 6:0.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1906.

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J. FISH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1906.

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APPARATUS FOR DOUBLING CLOTH, &0.

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U NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR DOUBLING CLOTH, 8).

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16,

Patented June 4:, 1907.

1906- Serial No. 306,370:

To all 10/1/0721] if; may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN FISH, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Apparatus for Doubling Cloth, &c., of which the following is a specification,

In lapping, creasing, folding, doubling, plaiting and similarly treating cloth, paper and other fabrics which it is desired to dispose in the same or a less width than the original or opened width of the cloth or the like it is customary to effect such treatment by hand.

My object is to decrease the time thus expended and curtail or limit the labor required, while insuring that the cloth shall pass truly or in a straight line through the apparatus and be truly delivered.

In a preferred method of carrying out my improvements in respect of a machine in which the cloth is to be folded or doubled before it is lapped or otherwise disposed of, I carr the cloth or other fabric, hereinafter referred to as cloth, in its opened out condition over a creasing, folding, or equivalent device which commences the folding in the center or other desired part. i

The folding device may be the apex of a triangular frame (which, if desired, may be furnished with a small wheel) over which the cloth passes from the base to the apex, the cloth in its passage gradually falling over the convergent sides of the frame until the cloth reaches the apex of the frame or a line extending from the apex when it is practically doubled upon itself. The apex of the frame is presented toward a suitable roller or suitable rollers or a stave or staves over or around or between which the doubled cloth passes on its way to the lapping, plaiting, or equivalent device, which may be of the usual or any convenient construction.

The frame is preferably disposed with its plane crossing the plane of the axis of the roller or rollers. This triangular frame may be pivoted at or near to its apex, so that its base, and of course its sides, may move to the right or to the left,or it may be mounted so that it may be moved bodily or otherwise to the right or left.

The edges of the cloth at a convenient point are adapted to come into contact with or closely against suitable spring controlled 0r 1 other movable circuit closing devices or switches arranged in electric circuits which also contain suitable electro-magnetic devices such as solenoids. As the cloth runs out of truth to one edge or the other and the edges of the folding cloth do not come truly together or do not otherwise occupy their co r rect relative positions, one or other of the switches or contacts is operated by one or other edge of the cloth, and one or other of the electro-magnetic devices is so operated that the frame, which is connected thereto, is moved to put greater tension on the cloth on that side to which the cloth is running out of truth and thus compels the cloth to move in the other direction and to be restored to its true direction. Or the same result may be achieved by causing the frame or an equivalent to move otherwise under the influence of the electro magnetic devices, and causing it or some part of it to so engage with the cloth as to restore it to its true course. The small wheel or the like or the point or apex of the frame over which the cloth runs may constitute-such an engaging and restoring device.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one form of doubling and lapping machine constructed to embody my improvements.

Figure 1 illustrates the machine in sectional elevation from the side. Fig. 2 is a back view of the machine showing the cloth before it enters the machine. Fig. 3 is a view of one form of electric contact adapted to be closed and opened as a consequence of the lateral movement of the edge of the cloth. Fig. 4 is a view of another formof device. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a triangular frame used for doubling the cloth and restoring it to its true course, such frame having stretching devices modified from those shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A represents the framing of the machine, and the cloth B to bedoubled, lapped, folded, plaited, or otherwise treated enters it in the opened condition through the series of rollers or staves C, the cloth traveling in the direction of the attached arrows. After passing through the desired staves or rollers the cloth passes downward over the face of an inclined triangular frame D mounted, upon a suitable pivot D at or near to its apex. The frame is thus capable of movement in the direction of either of the two arrows 1 or 2 shown in Fig. 5, and may be maintained in original position.

its central position by means of a suitable weight or weights or by a spring or springs. The cloth B passing down the frame falls with its edges 1) 6 over the convergent sides of the frame when they arrive at a point in the frame which is no wider than the cloth. The cloth as it passes down the frame is thus practically doubled on itself, the apex of the frame acting to form the line of fold. The cloth, when passing from the frame D, is thus doubled as shown at B in Fig. 2, and may be passed between rollers E, E, and carried around'a measuring drum F if desired, to a lapping or folding device such as G, which device may be of the usual kind employed for dealing with cloth and may pull the cloth through the machine.

If the cloth is running out of truth to the right the movable frame is moved over to the right so that its right hand side presses with greater force on the overlapping right hand half and right hand edge of the cloth and forces such half and edge in a direction toward the apex of the triangular frame and thus causes thecloth to travel or move over to the left, the left hand edge of the cloth moving up the left hand side of the frame. When the cloth moves sufficiently over to the left to be again in its true course, the frame is restored to or is permitted to return to its If the cloth moves out of its true course to the left, the frame is moved to the left and the left hand edge and the left half of the folding cloth is pressed more in a direction toward the apex of the triangle the right edge and half of the cloth moving up the right hand side of the frame and the cloth is returned to its true course. These operations of moving the frame may be per-- formed by hand but as this would entail the attendance of an operator it is preferred that these operations shall be automatically per formed as a result of the cloth running out of truth. To efiect this electro-magnetic devices are employed, such for example as those illustrated.

H, H represents two solenoid coils the cores of which are connected by wires or cords to the frame D in such a manner that as one coil H is energized its core is drawn down into the coil and the frame is pulled to the right, when viewed as in Fig. 2. Similarly when the coil H is energized. the frame is pulled to the left. l/Vhen neither coil is energized the two cores may act as balanced weights to retain the frame in its central position. The coils are brought into action as the result of the closing of electric circuits bythe edges of the cloth engaging with and closing suitable light contacts. Thus, if the right edge of the cloth runs out to the right, (still as viewed in Fig. 2), it comes against and closes a suitable contact device, and the circuit containing the solenoid coil H and a suitable source of electricity is closed, the coil is energized, and the frame is pulled over to the right. When the cloth has been restored to its true course as a consequence of the movement of the frame the right edge of the cloth leaves the contact device which is opened by a spring or equivalent, and the solenoid circuit is opened. and the frame is restored to its central position.

Similarly if the cloth moves to the left the circuit containing the solenoid H and a suitable source of electricity is closed by means of a suitable contact engaged or operated by the left edge of the cloth and the solenoid H is energized. and pulls the frame to the left. The cloth is thus forced to the right until its left edge leaves the contact device, and the solenoid circuit is opened and the frame again returns to its central position.

The electric contact devices controlling the circuits in which the electro-magnetic devices are placed may be set at any required distance from the edges of the cloth so as to come into action upon the occurrence of any predetermined amount of divergence, and their distances apart may be adjusted or set as desired so that they may be set for any width of cloth.

One convenient form of contact device adapted for engagement with both edges of the cloth is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The edges 1), b of the cloth after falling over the convergent sides of the frame and passing, if desired. over stretcher bars K, L, are passed as indicated by the lines 1) N, Fig. 3, in front of a pivoted bar M. This bar is electrically connected to a circuit which passes through a suitable source of electricity to one end. of each of the solenoid coils. The extension M which is also in electric connection with the bar M is normally at rest between two contacts N, N one con nected to the free pole or terminal of one solenoid coil and the other connected to the similar terminal of the other solenoid coil. The extension M is preferably held out of contact with either of the contacts N, N when the coils are not to come into action by a light spring. As the cloth runs out of truth either to the left or to the right one or other of the edges 1) b of the cloth comes into contact with the bar M and moves it around. its pivot. The extension M is thus brought against one or other of the contacts N N and the coil requisite to effect the desired movement of the frame is brought into action. As the cloth runs true again the edge of the cloth leaves the bar, the bar returns to its normal position, the closed circuit is opened, and the coil becomes inoper- 'ative; The bracket 0 upon which these contacts are mounted may be moved by a screw O toward or away from the cloth so that the contacts m y be used for any width of cloth.

Instead of the contact device described tact R which is adapted for use with cloth after it has commenced folding, equivalent devices may be employed to engage with the opposite edges of the cloth when it is in its opened out condition, and such devices may be placed at any convenient point,-but it is preferred to place them as near as is convenient to the lapping, folding, or other device by which the cloth is ultimately treated and where the greatest accuracy is desired.

A form of contact device for use with one edge of the cloth is shown in Fig. l. This consists of a suitable bracket P mounted near the edge of the cloth and having pivoted on one side a light lever B which is in electric circuit with a source of electricity. R is a contact attached to the bracket and leading electrically to the electro-magnetic device. As the cloth, passing upward next to the bracket, runs out of truth in its direction the passing cloth lifts the outer end of the lever B and brings its lower end against the con- The electric circuit is thus closed and the desired electro-magnetic device is energized to restore the cloth to its true position. The bracket may be adjusted along the screw rod. S for varying widths of cloth. Asimilar bracket is mounted against the other edge of the cloth.

The contacts shown in Fig. 4 may be used as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 to operate one of the staves C to assist in the restoration of cloth to its true course, through suit able electro-magnetic devices Q Q, but such. stave and its operation forms no part of the present in vention, and will not be further described.

The stretching device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of two bars K L, hinged at their lower ends to a suitable part of the machine framing, and connected at their upper ends to screw adjusting devices k Z. The cloth, after falling over the convergent sides of the frame D, has its sides passed over the bars which may be adjusted by the screws to compensate for any slackness or tightness in the cloth. Or such tightness or slackness may be compensated by making the sides of the frame 1) of movable bars T which may be closed up against the frame as shown on the right hand side in Fig. 5 or which may be extended as shown 011 the left hand side, being held in any desired position by screws engag ing with slotted plates U secured to the movable bars.

The frame D may be bodily movable in the direction of its apex or reversely so that it may be moved to occupy any desired position along the length of the rollers. A machine may consist of the single arrangement described or two such machines may be combined as indicated by the apex of a second movable frame B to the left of Fig. 1.

The apex of the frame may cause the fold 0r crease to be in the middle of the cloth so that the edges of the folded cloth come truly together, or it may be so d sposed (in conjunction with its electric contacts if these are used) as to cause the crease or fold to be on one side of the center of the cloth so that the edges of the folded cloth do not come together.

Instead of being pivoted the frame may move bodily from side to side, in which case the apex of the frame will follow the clothas it moves-to one side or the other and continue to form the crease at the proper distance from the edges.

The machine hereinbefore described is intended primarily for the treatment of cloth which is folded or doubled but it may also be used for the treatment of cloth which is delivered in its opened out condition or in its original width as it enters the apparatus.

Such a cloth would then only pass down. and over one halfand side of the frame in the same manner as does one half of the cloth being doubled as already described. With each edge of the cloth may be arranged a contact device to operate the frame. Thus if the single cloth is running out along the side of the frame in a direction away from the apex of a pivoted frame, the frame is moved angularly downward to put greater pressure upon or offer greater resistance to the passage of that edge of the cloth which is farther from the apex and thus cause the cloth to move toward. the apex; if the cloth is running out of truth toward the apex of the frame the frame is angularly raised or moved in the reverse direction so as to decrease the pressure upon that edge of the cloth which is farther from the apex and consequently cause the greater pressure to be exerted on the edge nearer the apex and thus cause the cloth to move away from the apex and return to its true course.

Each side of a triangular frame may have a separate distinct cloth running over it for delivery to different devices, in which case the frame should be divided or formed in halves eachhalf being separately operated.

The triangular frame may be of the solid separately when the separate cloths pass over them. One such bar only may be used for guiding cloth, and the device will then consist of a bar passing obliquely across the cloth in the same manner as one side of the triangular frame before described, and such bar will be operated in the manner hereinbefore described to vary the pressure upon or the resistance offered to one or other edges of the cloth as the cloth runs out of truth to one side or the other, and thus restore the cloth to its true course.

Splits may be cut by means of a suitable knife or cutting device arranged at any convenient point and the divided parts of the cloth be carried to separate folding, lapping, plaiting, or other devices.

The rollers E, E between which the cloth passes and between which it is or may be nipped, prevent the "sag which is set up between the lapping sword and such rollers being transmitted to the cloth passing over the adjusting frame or device, or further nipping rollers may be used with the cloth at any suitable point for the same purpose.

In the drawings hereto the cloth is shown as passing to a lapping sword, but the cloth may pass to any other required device for any other required purpose.

The ad'usting device shown and described may also be used for adjusting and controlling the passage of cloth through any desired machine through which the true passage of cloth is desired. For example a printing machine. 1

The movable frame or its equivalents may at any time be fixed or clamped inplace so that it may be used for the passage of cloth Without adjustment.

Any of the equivalents may be operated by hand if desired.

Two or more machines or the apparatus or devices described may be arranged in combination with each other in any desired manner and preferably so that they may be attended to by a single attendant. The current for operating the electro-magnetic devices may be derived from a small dynamo driven by or with the machine, or from any other source. The cloth may be drawn through the machine in any manner and by 1 any means at present employed for drawing cloth through other machines.

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus for accurately guiding and controlling the passage of cloth for the purpose hereinbefore set forth, comprising a triangular frame over which the cloth passes and is folded, and electromagnetic means controlled by the cloth for automatically moving said triangular frame toward the side at which the cloth runs outto one edge or the other, in order to restore said cloth to its true position.

2. Apparatusfor accurately guiding and controlling the passage of cloth for the purpose hereinbefore described, comprising converging members oblique to the line of movement of the cloth and over which said cloth passes, suitable electro-mechanical devices connected with said oblique members, and a circuit closer in proximity to an edge of the cloth, whereby the movement of an edge beyond its normal position will actuate said circuit closer and thereby effect a movement of the oblique member toward the side at which the cloth is moving off.

3. Apparatus for accurately guiding and controlling the passage of cloth for the purpose hereinbefore set forth, comprisin a triangular frame pivoted at its apex, e ectromagnets for moving it laterally, a circuit closer consisting of a switch lever arranged to bear against the edges of the cloth and pivoted at a point between said edges, and stationary contacts co -operating with said switch lever.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN FISH.

Witnesses:

I/VILLIAM GEO. HEYs, I. OOONNELL. 

